Shadow's Mercy
by Ashflight1699
Summary: Tabitha's life has been harsh on New Vestroia. No memories except a song and her name, a spirit hijacker, and a hyperactive girl. Sound familiar? In close relations with Meeting Yumei.
1. Chapter 1

**Ash: Well you all read Yumei's Story-  
**

**Yumei: Go to Dreamflight4798's _Meeting Yumei_ if you haven't.  
**

**Ash: -so I'm going to tell what happened to her missing older sister, Tabitha Kazami. This is the evening after the brawlers have left New Vestroia the first time in the episode _Reunion_.  
**

**Yumei: Ya.  
**

**Ash: So read, enjoy, GIVE FEEDBACK! And please vote on my poll.  
**

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**Tabitha's View:**

Tabitha sat in a corner of a cave. Her face was shadowed by flickering flames and her color changing eyes, the only thing seen due to her hood and face mask, were a grim gray. An occasional flit of amber would flash across her eye and her eyebrows were knitted in concentration. Tabitha had sat before this fire in the evenings for the three years she remembered in her life, trying to remember who she was and how she had stranded herself in New Vestroia. And every evening she came up with nothing. Her name and ghostly songs . That's all the Sybelline left her with. The Sybelline was a spirit entity, a creature with no form. She manifested inside a host and often took over to spill a prophecy or a warning. Now she remained silent within her, but gave off a warm buzz, a reminder it was still there. Her pale blue bakugan, Saphira Dragonoid, floated silently beside her, watching her mistress stare at the flames.

"My lady?"

"The humans, Saphy, the humans! How could I not have known! Humans don't belong on Vestroia!",cried Tabitha, suddenly.

"Neither do Vestals." Saphira gently reminded, "Besides how do you know you are not human yourself?"

Tabitha remained silenced, until her worry spilled over.

"The time when I least need the Sybelline, she hijacks me and when I most need answers, she's as useless as a pebble!"

Saphia bobbed up and down thinking a second before answering.

"I guess she didn't know humans had temporarily inhabited her planet."

"Doesn't know, my foot!" growled Tabitha.

"Or she knew they were here to help and didn't want you to get in the way."

Tabitha's eyes, which had been a startling yellow, had now turned a very dangerous, scarlet red.

"So she didn't tell me so those _humans _could finish those tasks, _and for what?_I'm betting you those Vestals will be back soon enough! You can count on it!"

Saphira, sensing danger, backed up and answered in a rather soothing voice,

" At least they will have to stay and recooperate for sometime. By then, we will be ready."

Tabitha's eyes changed into a neutral amber, and Saphira couldn't help noticing that her eyes had mirrored one of the humans, a boy with night-black hair.

Tabitha closed her eyes and buried them in her arms.

"How much longer will I be clueless, Saphy, how much longer?"

But Saphira didn't need to answer.

_Why wait, daughter, when I can answer it now?_ said a voice like the ringing of silver bells

Tabitha's head shot up.

"Now you answer me, Sybelline?"

_Tut tut, daughter. What fun is explaining?_ laughed the Sybelline. Had she been a solid,she would've smacked her.

_I think however, I shall show you. _

That was when a portal appeared next to Tabitha and a black-haired, green-eyed girl shot out.

"HELLO!"


	2. Chapter 2

**Ash: Okay, I'm back. Took a while to write this one...**

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**Tabitha's View:**

When the girl flew out of the portal, Tabitha's common sense flew out of the cave opening, and pure instinct took over. The girl hadn't even touched the floor when she was pinned against the cave wall by her throat.

"What the hec-"

"Who the heck are you?!" ,snarled Tabitha.

"Who the heck are _you_?" ,shrieked the girl in shock.

Tabitha applied a bit more pressure and the other girl hissed at her indignantly.

"My question first, _takamera_." ,said Tabitha her voice deadly soft.

"Who are you calling foreigner!" ,yelped the girl. The girl looked straight into her eyes and exclaimed incredulously,

"Why, you're from Earth too!"

Tabitha reeled back, stunned. The girl, taking advantage of the situation, began to-jab at her? That was exactly what she was doing and with each jab she looked increasingly frustrated.

"What is going on?!"

Tabitha raised an eyebrow

''Done yet?"

The girl gave one final, hard jab on her arm. Tabitha looked down at her arm, unperturbed, and saw the most peculiar thing. The area that the girl had jabbed had turned momentarily gray, and had faded. The girl backed away, but then an angry swarm of lights that had appeared out of nowhere swarmed around her, blinding her.

"Ow! Ow! Call them off! Call them off!"

Tabitha stood there stunned.

"What...?How...?"

"CALL THEM OFF!" yelled the girl, swatting at the lights as though they were flies. Tabitha pulled herself together and said in a shaky voice,

"Ummm...Dismissed?"

The lights froze in their spots before turning into mini fireworks and dying away.

"Sparkles." ,muttered the girl. "Are you some sort of witch?"

"I might ask you the same thing." said Tabitha, her voice like water.

"You completely deflected my turning-to-stone-power! And then there were the lights, the fireworks..."

"I'm not a witch just...spirited. (Thanks a lot Sybillene) What excuse do you have for having...stone powers?"

"Doom energy! Not stone powers! And what in the world do you mean by spirited?"

"None of your darned business."

Looking miffed she said, "Well excuse me! What's your name?"

"Ummm, what's yours?"

"Yumeì Kazami. Well, Ayumana, but i prefer Yumeì. Name now?"

"Tabitha. Don't know my last name. Don't know who I am. And I'm darn sure I don't know you."

But as Tabitha said that, she felt a tingle go up her spine. Yumeì...why did it register as familiar?

Yumeì seemed to recognize her, as her eyes had widened till they looked like green moons.

"_Tabitha?_ As in Tabitha Kazami? My older sister?"

"Are you completely deaf? Did I not just tell you I don't know my last name or anything like that?"

Yumeì arched an eyebrow.

"Amnesiac much? What _do_ you remember?"

Tabitha eyed Yumeì warily. Should she tell this girl, who claims to be her sister, that she knew nothing of her previous life except there was an explosion and some song? Or was she going to think she was mad and drag her to a hostile Vestal hospital?

"I guess...nothing."

Yumeì peered curiously into her eyes.

"You're lying. You remember something." ,she replied her voice shockingly serious. "I may look like an idiot- oh stop smiling!-but I can tell when I'm being lied to."

Tabitha couldn't hide her amusement. This girl did appear to be something of an idiot,like one of those teenage Vestal girls in the _souk_, mall and market, but she knew better now.

"Well? What do you remember, sis?" asked Yumeì, bouncing on her feet.

Tabitha glared at her, her face suddenly transformed by Yumeì's remark.

"I'm not you're sis! All I remember is some explosion and a tape redundant song!"

This information did not seem to admonish Yumeì whatsoever. On the contrary, she bounced up and down more violently.

"What song?!"

"Now how in the world would I know?" ,snapped Tabitha, starting to get a headache and wishing this annoying pest would get on with her life and _leave_.

"Sing it!"

Tabitha blinked.

"Sorry?"

"I said sing it!"

"Get out of it, girl, I'm not singing anything!", spat Tabitha. Her headache was starting to become overwhelming.

"I'll leave you alone if you do!"

Tabitha started seeing black rimming her vision nearly overpowering. Yes, _anything_ to dislodge this tick. She opened her mouth and song flowed from it as surely as though she had been its composer. Last thing she remembered is seeing Yumeì's face looking triumphant before black clouded her vision.

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**Yumeì: Was it your headache really that bad? I always thought it was a Sybillene lapse.**

**Ash: Funny. Review and the next chapter come fast!**


	3. Chapter 3:Lost and Found

**Tabitha's View:**

The first thing Tabitha realized was she was floating around in her own mind. Or was it? She seemed to be slipping into n unknown place, foreign and mysterious. She was quite sure she was alone, until a voice hummed,

_"Now are we undisturbed, daughter, or is their going to be another surprise visitor?"_

Tabitha scowled. The voice seemed to resonate from the very walls of the mind, the restraints of human capacity.

"I thought _you_ sent her, Sybillene." growled Tabitha.

_"Now,daughter, no need to make my name sound like an insult. I did not send the annoying human. I'm actually surprised she's your sister. You're nothing alike, other than looks."_

"How would you know she's my sister? She could be jumping to untrue conclusions."

_"Did she not make clear she was not stupid besides acting it sometimes?"_

"A mistake then. An honest mistake."

Amusement seemed to radiate from the new conscious.

_"You deny family. Why?"_

"I don't deny family, I'm just saying it's unlikely."

_"I'm in your head, Tabitha, I know your feelings."_

"Then you should darn well know why I shun family!"

_"I want to hear you say it. Confront it."_

"You know what? You didn't come here to tell me to confront my fear 'cause your could've done that ages ago. Get to the darn point!"

Tabitha was starting to lose patience, and she could feel the Sybillene's disappointment.

_"Daughter, the annoying girl-"_

"Yumeì!"

_"Whatever. _Yumeì _is an...unfortunate key to your past."_

"She's not that annoying!"

_"Yes, yes she is. Anyways, I think is time to tell you your past."_ The Sybillene said that as though it had been squeezed out of her. In a way it had...

_"Let's go back three years-"_

"Wait, why three years?"

The Sybillene grumbled something a lot like _"Shut up."_

_"Let's go back to Wardington, and Bayview, and all those...other lovely places."_

* * *

_Tabitha was walking along the crowded street snatching a look at everything she could. For once, she actually understood her purpose of her walk- she was on her way to the music studio. __She was a singer. A small one and it wasn't exactly her job. She was a medical student actually, but for credits and a very good use of her voice, she went to The Music Studio of Foreign Languages (MSFL) and contributed many songs in Indian languages (She had been in South India for three semesters before returning.) She wasn't walking alone on this crowded street. Digging her hands further in her jacket pockets, for it had been snowing since morning, she turned her head and called,_

_"Akiro, get a move on, will you! Mom's at work today, and you know that! So unless you want Shun cooking, I would hurry up!"_

_A small yelp from somewhere in a nearby store told her he had heard, and Akiro practically flew out of the bookstore. _

_"Jeez!" ,snorted Tabitha, "You despise his cooking that much?"_

_"Heck, it's a nightmare! What? Twin, you know it's true!" ,he said, before joining her in laughter. _

_Akiro was maybe three inches taller than Tabitha. His black hair fell to his ears, very untidy, and his amber eyes mirrored Tabitha's. There was no doubt he was her twin. They could've been identical, but for the difference in gender._

_"Last day of college...The end of school for us! You think you'll miss it?" ,asked Akiro._

_Tabitha felt herself shrug._

_"You never realize how much you like it until you don't have it."_

_"Just think!" ,exclaimed Akiro, "We'll be the youngest graduate's in...in...well I don't know how many years. 16! And graduating college!"_

_"Twin, you know we had the ability. We were four grades ahead of our class." ,replied Tabitha._

_The two turned a corner onto a busy square. __There in the middle of the square was the music studio. Akiro sighed and continued to walk toward the studio. He stopped when he realized she had paused by a café. _

_"Tabitha?"_

_"You keep going. I think I'll get tea. Do want tea too?"_

_Akiro gave a snort._

_"With the amount of tea Grandpa makes? Nah, but I would like hot chocolate instead. And mind you not the weird mint hot chocolate. Can you bring them to the studio?"_

_Tabitha smiled._

_"Sure. Go on ahead."_

_He nodded then jogged up to the studio shivering slightly. Tabitha purchased the hot chocolate (without mint) and tea, and exited the store. She had barely exited the café, when she heard Akiro's scream from just outside the studio._

_"Tabitha! _RUN!_"_

_That was when the bomb inside the studio went off. Akiro went flying from the force of the explosion before slamming against the side of a building and dropping like a rag doll. Tabitha had only time to scream, _

_"NO!"_

_before the shockwaves reached her knocking her back. She hit her head against the café door, and blackness fell quicker than a curtain._

* * *

_Now Tabitha was hearing voices. _

_"Akiro...neck broken...sorry for your loss. Tabitha...survive...don't give news yet...discharge tonight..."_

_She must have been laying their for maybe an hour before noticing the change in the atmosphere. She opened her eyes groggily. She was in a japanese styled home with an open window. The room smelled oddly cheerful with cherry blossoms outside. A small girl, maybe ten, was staring down at her with brilliant jade eyes. _

_"Mom!" ,she yelled loudly, "Oni-chan's awake!"_

_Then she turned back to Tabitha._

_"Wow, you're lucky. Only a sprained hand! I thought you were in a coma! I heard, like one hundred and five died, or something like that. Are you o-"_

_"Ayumana, let your sister rest.", said a different female, her voice hoarse._

_"Mom! I don't like that name! It's Yumeì!"_

_"Your original name is lovely, little one. Now let me be with Tabitha for a bit."_

_Yumeì left grumbling. Tabitha turned her head, but the effort took all the energy she had. A woman in her early forties or late thirties entered the room. Her jet-black hair was let down, and she was wearing a black outfit. Her eyes were Yumeì's eyes' color and the resemblance was great. Her eyes were puffy and red from crying._

_Tabitha opened her mouth and croaked,_

_"He's gone, isn't he? Akiro. He's not coming back."_

_"Hush. Rest now."_

_Tabitha's eyes spilled over, but she rolled over and tried to close her eyes._

_Another hour seemed to pass and the next time Tabitha opened her eyes she was in the forest by her house. Her mind clicked the time as next day, at night. In the distance, Shun sat on the roof, stargazing as usual. Sitting back in the crook in the tree she decided to do some stargazing herself. It seemed to banish every bad thing from her mind. Suddenly, out of nowhere a card fell from the sky. She frowned, and held it. It was odd, with a slight greenish glow around it. The symbols were foreign, obviously not japanese. Suddenly it flashed bright green, and it was understandable._

_"A...gate card? What in the world?"_

_Looking back, she saw Shun get up and inspect the cards that fell around him._

_"This is ridiculous." ,muttered Tabitha, "Whoever heard of cards falling like rain? A practical joke I guess."_

_Tossing the card aside, she prepared to jump to the next tree, heading back home. She launched. Out of the blue, something gray, silver, and black appeared and she fell right into it. As she fell, black descended one more time. But she was still screaming...falling..._

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**Yumeì: Wow. Okay wow. This was a Sybillene lapse?**

**Ash: *Sniff* Yeah.**

**Yumeì: Don't get all sad on me! Uhhh, Review peoples!**


	4. Chapter 4: Remembrance

**Ash: This is just a quick clear up and remembering what happened-**

**Yumeì: Akiro D-I-E-D. Bitha and Akiro had to go to the studio for two hours ( the exclamation about Shun's cooking skills if Akiro is held up at bookstore), and Bitha fell through a dimensional portal.**

**Ash: *Punches Yumeì* First, I was supposed to say that! And second, it's _not_ Bitha, it's _Ta_bitha! And why did you spell out 'died'?**

**Yumeì: I thought you were going to burst into tears.**

**Ash: So you're the tough one of the family, huh?**

**Yumeì: Yeah, something along those lines. Now before chaos reigns again, let's get on with the story!**

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**Yumeì's View:**

Yumeì was covering her ears. Tabitha was screaming in her sleep and, boy, was it high-pitched.

"Will you, shut up!" ,yelled Yumeì, over the frantic screaming. To her utter surprise, Tabitha did, but she was in an alarming state. She was clammy and pale. Her breathing was shallow and raspy. Her fingernails had dug deep into the ground. The pale blue bakugan, Saphira was out cold as well. Yumeì reached into her pocket and pulled out a dark purple bakugan.

"Haloid! What should I do? This is...what's the word..."

The bakugan popped open.

"Unnerving might fit this, my lady."

"STOP CALLING ME THAT!"

Quickly shutting her hand around Haloid, she pictured marble. A small crackle told her that Haloid was stone and, surely enough, when she opened her hand there was a hard, white ball.

"Do your thing, stone Haloid!"

She threw Haloid straight at Saphira. The two collided, and there was a momentary puff of white smoke and several coughs from Haloid and Saphira. Seconds later, Saphira was zooming at Yumeì's head.

"_What did you do to Tabitha, you nasty little witch?!"_

Yumeì threw her hands up to shield her face from the tiny ball that was attempting to attack any place she could reach.

"Stop it you, tiny little demon!" Yumeì cried. "I didn't do anything!"

Saphira reeled back for a second breathing heavily.

"What? Then, what happened to her? What-" The bakugan stopped talking. A feeling of sudden dawning filled the room, quickly replaced by horror.

"I never knew." ,whispered Saphira.

"What?"

"The song...the explosion...they make sense now!"

"What are you talking about?"

Haloid came out of the still circulating white cloud, no longer stone.

"What was that?!" ,he complained to Yumei.

"My revenge." ,said Yumei mockingly sinister.

"What was that you were saying about...wait what were you talking about?"

"She was talking about my vision. She and I share a mind. Not her fault, it's actually kinda unfortunate."

Yumei whirled around and found herself face to face with Tabitha.

"When did you wake up?! And how are you perfectly okay?!"

Indeed, Tabitha was looking perfectly fine as though she hadn't been knocked out, or screaming, just moments before.

Tabitha shrugged. Yumeì then noticed she wasn't looking as fine as she thought. Tabitha was trembling slightly and looked shaken up.

"What happened to _you_?"

"I've had...problems."

"So are you saying this happens often?"

"Well...no."

"Is this something to do with being 'spirited'?"

"Yes."

Haloid, who had been hovering silently by Yumeì's shoulder, seemed to have gotten an epiphany. Flying up to Tabitha's eye level he asked a simple question,

"Is Darkus weakened by Pyrus, or Pyrus weakened by Darkus?"

"Neither nor." ,replied Tabitha automatically, "They simply cancel each other out."

Then she frowned.

"Wait, how do I know that?"

Haloid flew back to Yumeì's shoulder.

"_You _don't. _She_ does."

"Who?" ,asked Yumeì and Tabitha.

"Yumeì, my lady-"

"Hey, quit it, or I'll turn you to granite! Pink granite, at that!"

Haloid ignored her.

"- do you remember the myths I told you about the Sybillene?"

"...Possibly."

Tabitha's frown deepened.

"How the heck did you figure it out?"

Yumeì looked both bewildered and frustrated now.

"Figure out _what_?"

"Wait, does this have something to do with the question you asked me?"

"Yes. She was a...weird friend of mine you could say. Way back when...well you get the idea. That question was the last riddle I told her before...well...I was blamed for _things_. You get what I mean?"

Yumeì stamped her foot furiously.

"No, _I_ don't get you at all! What _friend_?"

"Yumeì, the Sybillene disappeared around the time I got imprisoned. She needs a host to maintain balance and...prophecies."

"You're point is...wait. Are you saying _Bitha _is a _seer_?!"

Tabitha flinched.

"I'm not. Sybillene is. And it's Tabitha for the last time!"

Yumeì gaped at her for a second, then she growled,

"So the Sybillene is a _parasite_?"

"Well, I don't know. If being so darn annoying is parasitism, then yeah, sorta."

"Let's get a can opener and get her out of there!"

Tabitha winced so hard, she knocked Saphira off her shoulder.

"No can opener. I'll survive."

"Yeah, no can opener, Yumeì." ,groaned Saphira somewhere on the floor.

"Besides, that wouldn't work anyways, Yumeimei. Could I call you that?" ,asked Haloid.

"Absolutely _not_. And anyways, what would work?"

"Nothing." ,answered Haloid. "At least not to anyone's knowledge but the Sybillene, and I don't think she'll confide that. She seems happy where she is."

"Her idea of bliss is inhabiting my sister's brain? Well, she better be happy she isn't in my brain!"

_You have no idea_ grumbled a voice that seemed to emanate from Tabitha. Tabitha stiffened, and Yumeì jumped up and down yelling,

"That's her! That's her! Ow!"

Yumeì doubled over clutching her head.

"What the heck was that for?!"

_For being the annoying pest you are._ muttered the Sybillene.

"Honestly, go find someone else to bug, Sybille." said Tabitha.

_Is that a nickname? _asked the Sybillene, _I like it_.

"Get lost!" ,snarled Tabitha, and the presence of the Sybillene went away.

"That HURT!" ,yelled Yumeì.

"She's a grumpy, cranky, nasty little bug, so don't mind her." ,said Tabitha, looking bothered.

Yumeì popped up again, like a jack-in-the-box, and exclaimed,

"Hey, you're not contradicting me calling you my sister!"

"Finally noticed have you? I didn't keel over for nothing, you know. You're a little slow."

Yumeì ignored the gibe about her and asked,

"How?"

"The Sybillene trapped my memories. She didn't want me to know my past, for some reason. But she showed me one memory. Okay, parts of several memories."

Yumeì frowned lightly.

"Which one?

Tabitha looked downward, her mouth opening and closing, but no words came out. The words seemed to be stuck in her throat. Yumeì nodded encouragingly, but there was still no answer.

"What's wrong with you? Toad stuck in your throat?"

Tabitha looked up unhappily and whispered,

"She showed me a bomb."

"A...bomb? What bomb- wait, not _Akiro?"_

Tabitha hesitated before nodding. Yumeì could see the memory had caused her pain.

"Well... It's the past. Nothing you can so about it." ,she said shrugging. Then her face split into broad grin.

"I'VE GOT MY SISTER BACK!"

She launched herself onto Tabitha who gave a startled yell.

"Yumeì, down! Down!"

Yumeì let go of Tabitha, looking slightly hurt.

" I'm not a dog you know."

Haloid snickered, then instantly regretted it when Yumeì shot him a look that could've killed.

"Sorry." ,he muttered and flew back to accompany Saphira.

Yumeì turned back to Tabitha with a thoughtful look on her face.

"You don't like hugs..."

Tabitha shook her head frantically,

"No, it's not that I don't-"

"You have a bakugan -"

"Where are you going with this-"

"Do you have a gauntlet?"

Tabitha blinked.

"Of course, but I-"

"Then battle me!"

Yumeì pulled out a purple gauntlet that was Vexos style.

"Well, Yumeì, you see..." ,said Tabitha. She turned to Saphira for help.

"Well, Yumeì," began Saphira, "We haven't battled in...a long time."

"Well," said Yumeì, "about time you got into shape! What do you say?"

Tabitha bit the corner of her lip, contemplating. Why not? It would definitely test the extent of the Sybelline. Possibly annoy her. Now that sounded fun. Tabitha nodded, pulling a pale blue gauntlet out of thin air. Fastening it on her arm, she said, "Let's go."

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**Ash: *Grins* Yep, another chapter done!**

**Yumeì: You really should pick up the pace.**

**Ash: *Tick mark* Well, I was waiting for reviews. And now that I think about it, I won't post the next chapter until I get three more reviews, just to spite you!**

**Yumeì: *Groans* You're gonna kill me! We barely get reviews!**

**Ash: Good, then request the people out there to do so!**

**Yumeì: PLEASE REVIEW PEOPLE OF THE REAL WORLD!**


	5. Chapter 5: Siblings' Conflict

**Ash: Well, let's get to the battle! This should be interesting...**

**Yumeì: Hey, Tabitha!**

**Ash: *irritated* What?**

**Yumeì: Someone asked when we met Shun again!**

**Ash: *mildly surprised* They did? *looks carefully* They did! Well they'll meet Shun...soon.**

**Yumeì: I hate that answer.**

**Ash: I know you do, but you're gonna have to deal with it. I never did a disclaimer I realized. Yumeì, would you do the honors please?**

**Yumeì: ASH DOESN'T OWN BAKUGAN, just her story line, Tabitha, and...sorta...me.**

**Ash: I own you in partiality, but on with the story! Extra note: This is probably going to be confusing!**

* * *

**Tabitha's View:**

Tabitha and Yumeì stood a good ways apart. The sun was rising. In the distance a green dome stood, where the Vestals had sent yet another device to turn bakugan into balls a few days ago. Tabitha glared distastefully at it, then turned back to Yumeì.

"Ready?" ,she asked.

Yumeì bounced up and down,

"I was _born _ready! That was cheesy."

Tabitha grinned, then set a card into her gauntlet.

" All right, girl, give me your best shot."

Yumeì mirrored the grin, and set her own card into her Vexos styled gauntlet.

"Gauntlet Power Strike!" they both yelled.

"Youngest first!" purred Tabitha.

"Game card, set!" cried Yumeì," Alright Haloid? Ready to take her down?"

"Always ready!"

Tabitha's lips curved into a small smile. Let them try.

"Bakugan brawl! Darkus Haloid, stand!"

The purple serpent rose into the air, wings spread out to make him appear bigger. Tabitha pursued her lips. He didn't intimidate her.

"Bakugan brawl!" shouted Tabitha, "Spirit Saphira,stand! Ability activate! Misted Attire!"

The pale blue ball glowed for a moment before a burst of fog erupted. The fog spread to Haloid who attempted to escape it. The moment the fog touched him, he stiffened as though electrocuted.

_Saphira Base Level Unknown_

"Hey, that's cheating!" Yumeì wailed. "Don't be so mean! I'm your _little_ sister!"

"Hello! I only just figured that out! Anyway, your Haloid is losing power fast."

_Haloid: 200 G's and decreasing_

"RAWR!" she yelled, whether because of anger or just for effect, Tabitha wasn't really sure. "Ability activate! Soaring escape!"

_Haloid at Base level of 1000 G's_

The fog dissipated, revealing a tall, petite dragonoid, her eyes narrowed in concentration. Her scales seemed to have been dusted a light blue, and her eyes mirrored her brawlers, ever changing.

"An Aquos brawler, eh?" called Yumeì.

"Nope." replied Tabitha, "See if you can figure it out."

"Stop playing games." Saphira growled before soaring straight up. "Tabitha!"

"I'm with you! Ability Activate, Soaring Strike Dragon! Continuous Strike series! "shouted Tabitha. The dragon flew out of sight. Haloid remained tensed, ready for anything, but nothing happened. Yumeì frowned and looked at her gauntlet.

_Haloid: 1000 G's_

She squinted at the gauntlet, as though checking for some defect, then looked back at Haloid. She looked back at her gauntlet then said bluntly, "I think your ability is defective."

"Now where did you pick up words like that?" ,asked Tabitha coolly.

"Marucho." muttered Yumeì.

Tabitha raised an eyebrow.

"Never mind-" started Yumeì, before she heard an odd whistling sound. She froze then said almost nonchalantly,

"I'm about to eat my words, aren't I?"

Tabitha replied in the same tone, "Just about."

A glittering blue diamond bloomed in the sky, get bigger, and bigger...

Haloid looked up, startled.

_BOOM!_

_Haloid: 600 G's_

Haloid glowed momentarily before glowing and returning into a ball. Saphira growled in satisfaction before turning a bright blue and returning to ball form. Tabitha snatched her from the air.

"Figured out what my attribute is, _sis_?" she yelled. Yumei chewed on her lip, pondering. Tabitha realized, with a bit of relief, her sister didn't know. At least Tabitha could have her own secrets.

"I'm not going to wait for you to answer!" she said, "We still have two rounds you know!"

* * *

**Yumeì's View:**

Yumeì suffered the worst defeat of her life. The last time she had lost was to Masquerade, and that was only one. This defeat was much worse, as she had no clue how it happened. She had no clue what Saphira's power level was. She had no idea what ability cards Tabitha were using, though she was quite sure they weren't forbidden cards. Her style of brawling was simply alien. Tabitha had outwitted her before they had even begun. Her lip had become red from chewing on it. Even her forbidden cards hadn't worked. Now the battle was over, and all three games had been Tabitha's victory. Yumeì saw she wasn't the only one stunned. Tabitha seemed shocked she had won the battle.

"What sorcery is this?!" cried Yumeì.

Tabitha stared at her.

"Er, never mind." muttered Yumeì. Picking up Haloid (who seemed to be seething), she called to Tabitha, "Girl, you have to teach me your brawling style one-"

Her sentence was cut short by a boom in the distance. She whirled around. A huge mushroom cloud had erupted next to the BT system in the distance. When the dust cleared, she saw, with a sudden rush of understanding, Aluze. And facing Aluze was...Yumeì's heart leapt. _Master Ingram_.

"What is going on?"

Tabitha had materialized next to Yumeì, but she didn't flinch. Instead she cheered,

"Nii-san!"

* * *

**Yumeì: You took FOREVER to write this!**

**Ash: *cower* I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I had a _huge_ mental block for...months.**

**Shun: You've had mental blocks for everything.**

**Ash: *tick mark* Shut up!**

**Yumeì: *cheerfully* Read and Review! Oh, and Ash/Bitha here isn't going to update until she gets ten reviews so thnx to all those who reviewed and please continue to do so!**


	6. Chapter 6: A Mission at Hand

**Ash: K, the reviews came fast this time! *hugs to all to reviewed and does happy dance* So we ended off by spotting Shun and Lync's battle-**

**Yumeì: So _that _was what that was! DREAM STOP HUMMING!**

**Dream: *completely ignores her and continues humming random songs***

**Yumeì: *struggles against knocking out Dream because she knows her very existence depends on her* _Please?_**

**Ash: *gasp* You said please!**

**Dream: *stops humming abruptly, then bursts out laughing***

**Yumeì: *embarrassed* Just Read & Review.**

**Ash: *cheerfully* Yes, please do that! *under her breath* She said _please!_**

**Yumeì: *snaps* Quit it!**

**Ash: *eerie voice* Your existence depends on me too...**

* * *

**Tabitha's View:**

Tabitha watched as Yumeí launched herself over the cliff. At first, she wasn't exactly sure whether or not she should be screaming for help. Then, she saw Yumeí running happily towards the cloud of smoke.

_"The people I meet."_ thought Tabitha to herself, and she sat on the edge of the cliff, waiting for Yumeí to return with an explanation. She wasn't exactly sure what "nii-san" was supposed to mean, but she was quite sure it wasn't English. And that she was supposed to know it.

She must've been waiting for at least ten minutes before Yumeí zoomed back up the cliff.

"Why you no come?" she asked.

"First, that was bad grammar. Second, I had no reason to." she replied.

"But you missed Nii-san!" she complained.

"I don't know who that is." said Tabitha bluntly.

"Oh, my big brother, and your little brother. You'd call him Shun or Ototo-san. Shun being his name."

"How many names per person?" said Tabitha laughing.

"Oh, Nii-san and Ototo-san are japanese formal names. More like titles."

"Oh."

"Well, anyways" continued Yumeí, "We can still catch Shun, if we hurry."

To Tabitha that sounded like a good idea. She opened her mouth in agreement until-

_You can't go yet._

The Sybelline was back.

_"Why not?" Tabitha argued._

_"We still have work here on New Vestroia."_

_"Don't be stupid." snapped Tabitha mentally. "This is my chance to have a normal life. There are others of me. I've only just found out who I am!"_

_"Normal life? With me? Ha ha. I think that's impossible. Besides, I have a brother. And he is the pest of the Universe. Do you really want to go back to a life you don't even remember?"_

Tabitha thought about that. Sybelline had a point. As always. Could she get any more annoying?

_"What do you want me to do?"_

_"Protect New Vestroia. When the quick of the danger is gone, you can go back home. I promise in the name of the Three Beings."_

_Tabitha wasn't exactly sure who the Three Beings were, but she supposed they were important._

_"You tell me "protect New Vestroia". I can't even remember my family."_

_A small chuckle._

_"You are powerful. As is your sister. Employ her to help you. She will not resist much. Tell her about Klaus."_

Tabitha shuddered.

_"Fine."_

"Is something wrong?" questioned Yumeí.

"I...can't leave yet."

The younger girl's eyes widened.

"Why not?! Don't you want to see your family again?"

Tabitha flinched.

"I don't even know them. I don't know Earth. I have to stay here and protect New Vestroia. You should know the threat Vestals possess."

"But Earth is your _home_."

Tabitha's heart wrenched at the look of hurt and confusion on Yumeí's face.

"A home I cannot remember. New Vestroia is my home now. It provided shelter, food, and water when I first landed here. I at least owe it a bit of loyalty."

Yumeí still didn't look any less upset, but she bowed her head and said, "Ok. Fine."

Tabitha took a deep breath then asked, "You could help me you know."

Yumeí looked up.

"Really? You mean it?"

Tabitha nodded.

Yumeí's pout quickly turned into a broad grin.

"Okay! How?"

Tabitha's lip twitched. Always up to the challenge.

"Well, a while back, I came across a human by the name of Klaus von Hertzon."

Yumeí made a disgusted face.

"You know this man?" Tabitha queried.

"He's a pompous jerk." huffed Yumeí.

"Ah."

Tabitha had gotten the same impression of the nobleman.

"Well, I had threatened to personally obliterate him if he ran with the Vestals. I was not aware of the Resistance's existence at the time, but I made sure he laid off. He knew, somehow, I wasn't kidding."

Yumeí nodded.

"I had been thinking of doing the same thing, but I wasn't quite sure if that was necessary. Sounded like a bad meeting. But I'll do it."

_"Also," cut in Sybelline, "please tell dear Klaus that Ace Grit will be in need of his assistance. Remind him not to get a swelled head and to not betray him. Threaten him. It's the only way it gets through his ego."_

"I'll keep that in mind." quirked Yumeí, seemingly not realizing that the Sybelline was talking to her.

"Allow me to open a portal for you." said Tabitha. "i have a feeling you will need to conserve your energy."

"Oh I will." agreed Yumeí. "Since I will also be tracking Prince Hydron, the Royal Whiney-ness."

Tabitha didn't know what to say, so she simply waved her hand a multicolored dimensional transporter appeared.

"Good luck."

Yumeí grinned.

"Luck is for fools." she said cheerfully, and jumped through the portal.

Tabitha shook her head. Then she remembered something.

"Who is Ace Grit?"

The Sybelline was quiet for a moment before saying,

_"You will meet him soon enough."_

* * *

**Ash: Fun. Tabby gets left off on a cliffhanger.**

**Yumeí: If you want to see Yumeí's demands to Klaus, read Dreamflight4798's "Chronicles of New Vestroia". It would be Chapter 11: "Collector Geek"**

**Ash: Yepz. Me and Dream will be more collaberative in our stories from here.**

**Yumeí: Read and Review!**


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